Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s ex-attorney testified on Monday that he explicitly and repeatedly explained to his client a federal judge’s order that prohibited him from enforcing federal immigration law
By Megan Cassidy | The Republic
10:30 a.m.: Opening arguments made
Attorneys laid out dueling theories as the criminal contempt trial of Joe Arpaio opened Monday morning, focusing on why the former Maricopa County sheriff did — or did not — willfully violate a federal order barring immigration enforcement.
In their opening arguments, U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors provided a series of Arpaio’s own statements to demonstrate how he both knew about the December 2011 order and then thumbed his nose at it.
Defense attorneys challenged the underlying order, simultaneously claiming it was unclear and inappropriate in the face of federal immigration policies. Attorney Dennis Wilenchik instead pointed the finger at Arpaio’s former attorney, Tim Casey, saying that Casey didn’t properly explain the order to his client.
